1. Field
Certain technologies herein disclosed generally relate to medical devices, and more particularly, relate to medical devices for removal of materials such as a thrombus, or blood clot, from a blood vessel.
2. Description of the Related Technology
A thrombus, or a blood clot, is generally the product of blood coagulation typically due to, for example, poor circulation resulting from an extended sedentary activity. In the early stages of thrombus formation, a thrombus generally has a consistency that is soft, and/or spongy. Over time, a thrombus becomes more tough and fibrotic due to a phenomenon known as the clotting cascade wherein fibrotic tissues increasingly begin to grow into the thrombus. Among other things, a thrombus will decrease blood flow through the affected vessel or in some instance cut-off the flow of blood thereby resulting in the death of tissue supplied by the vessel. Additionally, an embolus is created if a thrombus dislodges from a vessel wall and becomes free-floating. In some cases, an embolus can cause an embolism, or an occlusion of a blood vessel, resulting in, for example, stroke, heart attack or pulmonary embolism.